Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Part 126 on 03-December-2024

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANIM SHARADAM DEVIM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGAD GURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMUHUR We are studying the next chapter, Advice to Householders. It's a beautiful chapter. Who is a householder? He who has a house and thinks this is my house and this is me, that's a householder. That is the superficial meaning. But this house is really our body, human body. So whoever thinks that I am in this human body, so this is called a house and we identify ourselves with that house, that means whoever identifies with Anatma, non-self, that is who doesn't think about God, speak about God, read about God, meditate upon God, live with faith in God according to the instructions of the scriptures, he is a householder. And you can imagine, most of us are householders only. So Sairam Krishna was talking to Hajra on the long north-east veranda of his room. While they were talking, M arrived. Of course, by that time, M had become familiar. He recognized the greatness of Sairam Krishna, so he bowed down, saluted the Master reverently. It was almost dusk. A Master and M stood talking alone near the door on the south-east veranda. Master to M is describing, Sairam Krishna is describing what would be the state of the mind of any Yogi, be it Bhakti Yogi, Karma Yogi, Raja Yogi or Jnana Yogi. The mind of the Yogi is always fixed on God. He is always absorbed in the Self. You can recognize such a man by merely looking at him. His eyes are wide open with an aimless look like the eyes of the mother bird hatching her eggs. It is a very beautiful analogy. In fact, Sairam Krishna had drawn a picture of it with his own hands. We must know Sairam Krishna was a supreme artist. He could make images of Gods and Goddesses. He can also sketch what is called a free hand sketching. So, he showed actually M how a bird looks like that and Sairam Krishna is telling that by giving a small example. So, his eyes are wide open with an aimless look like the eyes of the mother bird hatching her eggs. Her entire mind is fixed on the eggs and there is a vacant look in her eyes. And then Sairam Krishna asked, can you show me such a picture M, I shall try to get one. Later on, he got one because such type of pictures are very rare. As evening came on, the temples were lighted up. Sairam Krishna was seated on his small couch meditating on the Divine Mother. Then he chanted the names of God. One of the things we have to note, every day at dawn and dusk, Sairam Krishna used to clap his hands and chant the Mother's name. This invariably he did till the end of his life. Even though he was what we consider a realized soul and yet he has not given up this habit. And whatever these Mahapurushas do, it is all to be imitated by us. There is a beautiful book in English. It is called The Imitation of Christ and that was the teachings of a monk in the 12th century. It is one of the best books. So we have to imitate Christ, Buddha, Rama, Krishna. To be a devotee means to imitate. If we do not imitate or at least try to attempt, of course, we can never become as perfectly natural as great souls. But if we try our sincere best, then God's grace will come and lift us up. So this continuous sadhana and that is called unfurling the sails. Sairam Krishna's half-quoted saying, The breeze of God's grace is always blowing, unfurl your sails. So Sairam Krishna was a great artist and the nature of every great artist is, he is very watchful, observing everything that happens in life. Extraordinarily watchful. You must have noticed how people draw cartoon figures of prominent politicians, etc. And just some peculiar physiognomy. For example, a long nose of our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru. Any person, there is something unique and these artists, cartoonists draw our attention to it. But for that, they have to keenly observe the people. Sairam Krishna was one of the greatest observers and this power of observation will ultimately help our spiritual life. You want to read newspapers, observe what is happening. The life of any person is completely uncertain. Everyday newspapers will tell us, young people die, even infants die, old people die. That is a great lesson. Second, if we study history, we find nothing has changed. Circumstances, set-ups change, but the bare facts of the world, of life, never change. There are births and there are six types of modifications called Shad-Urmi. Six billows of waves, that is very common. And people suffer, people enjoy, that is common. Some people suffer more, some less, that is also common. And same person may not suffer or may suffer, that is also common. But everything is changing, change is another name for life. So that is a great lesson. Anybody who is observant can learn and that is what Sairam Krishna was. So he must have observed when a bird, a chicken, a hen sits on the eggs. And that is the most usual condition because you can't go on staring on the treetops. What the birds are doing. So Sairam Krishna keenly observed and he said that it sits on the eggs. It is thinking of the eggs. Let this warmth of me turn the eggs so that the chicks grow inside and then they break open the eggs and small chiclets come out. But where is the mind? It is on the eggs. And mothers do anything to protect their offspring, to protect their eggs, etc. Can you get such a, show me such a picture? I shall try. And M, he got after some time or whether he told some artist to make such a one. But Sairam Krishna, he showed him how to draw by drawing himself. So evening came on. Temples were lighted up. Sairam Krishna was seated on his small couch meditating on the Divine Mother. Then he chanted the names of God. Incense was burnt in the room where an oil lamp had been lighted. Sounds of conch shells and gongs came floating on the air. And the evening worship began in the temple of Kali. A light of the moon flooded all the quarters. A master again spoke to M, Sairam Krishna, Perform your duties in an unselfish spirit. Always try to perform your duties without desiring any result. What is Sairam Krishna advising M? Sairam Krishna was the Supreme Guru and M was an apt spiritual aspirant. So there are two types of performing actions. Sakama and Nishkama. Most of us, we only want the result. There are three types of people. They want only worldly desires. There are some people, very rare, and they want only spiritual progress. But most of us are what is called desirers of mixed results. We also want to be as happy as possible in this world. And at the same time, we also want to progress in spiritual life even if it takes time. So Sairam Krishna is telling everyone of us in this world has to work. Is there anybody who is free from karma? No. If there is a body, if there is a mind and life is there, so long as life is there, Bhagavad Gita clearly points out, so long as there is body, mind and pranas, one is forced. And this is Sairam Krishna's observation which we will read very soon. So this is what is said. There is no way we can stop doing karma. Who can do? Only two people cannot do. One, a realized soul because he cannot do because he doesn't have identity with body-mind. Another person cannot do because that person is either in the Sushupti or he is dead. But anybody who has got a little bit of consciousness and that consciousness itself, breathing, eating, drinking, what is called fluttering the eyelids, digesting, walking, anything that we do in life is a karma only. And behind every karma there is a motive. Is it Sakama or Nishkama? We never do anything without consciously or unconsciously thinking about some peculiar result. So there is a beautiful word used, how to live in this world by Bhagavan Krishna. Gives two wonderful definitions in the Gita. What is yoga? Dexterity, skillfulness in yoga. Another definition is keeping the mind equanimous in opposites, dualities, good and evil, heat and cold, happiness and unhappiness, birth and death. So these cannot be avoided in life. But if we can keep our mind not like a stone but a little bit. So a person fixes, an intelligent spiritual aspirant fixes how much he can allow his mind to go up and down. He will not allow beyond that one. This is called Karmakushalapva. And another meaning is given, what is called skillfulness in action. So every action yields a particular result. You cook food and you get food. You walk then you can reach your office or that is also an exercise. Your health will be okay. Every action is different and every action gives a separate result. Even as simple as switch on the light, switch off the light. Two separate actions. One brings on light, another puts off the light. But what is Kaushalam? It is to do any action with skillfulness, with concentration, with awareness, with the most possible dexterity. That is the one meaning and thereby we save a lot of time. Otherwise supposing maybe you are reading a book, you are thinking something else and even though you are reading but you are grasping, you are absorbing the meaning again and again and again. You have to come back to the same passage and even then you will not remember what is the essence. So this is the condition of quite a number of people. So even reading there is a skillfulness but that is a superficial meaning. The real meaning is, Oh Lord, I may do thousands of different types of actions but I want only one result for every one of the actions. I want to progress in spiritual life and I want to reach you. So let me perform any duty without desiring specific result but one particular result only that is progress in spiritual life. That is called Karma Sukha Kaushalam Yogaha. Now very important certain questions is going to ask which are relevant to all of us in this life. First question. Yes sir. That is I understood what you said but he had a doubt. May I know if one can realize God while performing one's duties? That is to say he is referring to Karma Yoga. M was a very intelligent person. He was almost a master like Narada. In many many of the subjects he had hidden himself but he studied Bible, he studied Bhagavatam, he studied many of the scriptures, studied some of the philosophies of western philosophers but he also studied Indian philosophy. He was quite familiar. So this was the question. Generally in India it is taught and especially influenced by the Advaitic teachers, the followers of Shankaracharya. Karma Yoga only produces Chitta Shuddhi, purity of heart but doesn't lead to God realization. For that according to of course Advaita Vedanta, one has to follow Vyana Marga, Vyana Yoga. But according to billions of devotees all over the world, devotion itself can give realization which Shri Ram Krishna has taught unhesitatingly through follow any path, Jyotamot or path. This is the speciality. So one should not be fanatical and saying unless you practice Jnana Yoga then what is the use of other Yogas? They are not useless but they will bring you to the national highway and that Jnana Yoga is the national highway. Ram Krishna never held because God is infinite. He is everywhere. You turn in any direction and you take steps in any direction, you will only meet Him. You can't in fact meet anybody else. So this question came to him. May I know if one can realize God while performing one's duties? Master. He gives a marvelous example that many people understand there is a type of Sadhana where Karma is not involved. There is no Karma and nothing can be for more mistaken idea than this idea. And Shri Ram Krishna gives a beautiful blow. He says all without exception perform work even to chant God's name and glories is work. Only that one as in the meditation of the non-dualist on I am He. That is what Bhagawan just now I quoted Krishna saying without doing and then Shri Ram Krishna continues. Breathing. Breathing is also an activity. There is no way of renouncing work altogether. So breathing. Just try. Breathing is an activity. I will perform Gnana Yoga. So I will stop breathing and then you will stop existing also. So there is no way of renouncing work altogether. Even Jivan Muktas they also do work. Even Shri Ram Krishna whole life he was doing only what is called unselfish work. Pranarpana, Jagatatharana, Krintana, Kali, Dor. So he dedicated his life. He did sadhana for us and he realized God for our sake. He went on talking incessantly and the peculiar disease that had put an end to his life was in those days called clergyman's throat. What is clergyman? Clergyman means a person who goes on preaching Christianity. Every preacher has to go on shouting at the top of their voices and too much exercise of this throat it will create in many people some kind of disease. So everybody has to work. Breathing is work. That is what Bhagavan Krishna meant. So he says, Shri Ram Krishna, do your work. Let everything continue absolutely normally. Do you have to get angry? Get angry. Do you have to become annoyed? Become annoyed. Do you have to shout at somebody? Shout. But what is the difference? The difference is you will shout or do anything voluntarily with full awareness. Here something is not being done properly. So I will have to show annoyance or anger. So it is not that everybody will sit absolutely like a piece of rock without reacting. Nothing can be further from truth. So he says, do your work but surrender the result to God because the result will come. Every karma, any karma, whatever it is, small or big, even if you wave your hand, it is one karma. So just I am giving an example. In a battlefield, especially in the olden days, so nowadays they call it the red line. Even the president, he has to use that red line and give approval. That is called previously in the battlefields, the leader waves his hand and then all the soldiers who are rearing to plunge into the war, they all move forward. So either they hold up a flag or wave a hand, etc. So do your work but surrender the result to God because the result will inevitably come. What is the problem? The problem is we want to see the result of every type of karma that we do right now. Even a student has to wait for one year and at least one or two months to see what result, whether he passed or failed, etc. And then what we don't understand is however brilliant a person, we don't know what is going to happen next second. A person may have an accident, he may lose his limbs or eyes. How many thousands of people, every day they are meeting these accidents even today and many are dying because of the wars, etc. Even if they are not dying of wars, at least the person who is dying of war, you can say is a very lucky person. But the persons who are left behind, the family members, so many people are displaced from their homes. They become refugees and they even do not get basic facilities. Just imagine whether they want to answer calls of nature. Do you think that they get the regular food which they used to get at home, breakfast, lunch, dinner? In between the whole life becomes topsy-turvy, especially in the refugee camps. Try to exercise your imagination. If I were in such a situation, what would be the life? There are two benefits. Anything can happen to us, that is one. Second is, if we can actively imagine, I am one of the Palestine refugees, for example, and I am living in this, food is not guaranteed when it will come, from where it will come, how much will come, what type of food will come. So compared to that, I am living in heaven right now. It is by this type of comparison which can make our life a very, very, very happy life. We have nothing to grumble, nothing to complain. If only we can cast our eyes and see how much other people are suffering, that is a definite benefit. This is what Shri Krishna also is telling. Shri Ram Krishna is after all none other than Bhagavan Krishna, Bhagavan Rama. He who was Rama, who was Krishna, is now reincarnated in the name of Shri Ramakrishna. So do your work, but surrender the result to God. This is what exactly Bhagavan Krishna means. At the end of the Bhagavad Gita, this is called Sharanagati. That is what Shri Ram Krishna means. Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Mamey Kam Sharanam Uraja Aham Tvaa Sarva Paapey Bhiyo Mokshaishyami Ma Sujaha So do not say, O Lord, I do whatever I do and whatever I can do, a child can do in one way, a grown-up can do in another way, a sick person has to do in another way, and an old person has to do in another way. It all depends. So Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya Mamey Kam Sharanam Uraja Accepting God, there is nobody who can save us. So therefore, let me surrender myself to you. And you know better what is right, what is wrong, when something should come. This is what we call in Hindu language Vidhi Pratha. That is on everybody's forehead. That means our fate is decided by Brahma according to the deeds we have done in the past lives. This is called Bhoga. Bhoga means how much I will be happy, how much I will be unhappy, and how long am I going to live? into the exact millisecond and in what species as a human being or as an animal, as a mosquito. These are the resultants of our past life. But if we surrender to God, He knows exactly because like a loving mother. So you see the baby is taken up in the arms of the mother and it goes to sleep happily. So I have seen even babies, if a stranger takes, even a baby becomes extraordinarily restless and starts crying. But it recognizes its mother even in young age. So this is one of the greatest Karma Yogas. This is what Swami Vivekananda meant. Surrender whatever you do, the results to God and you depend totally upon Him. What He wants to do, accept it as our own. Whatever the mother does is accepted by the child. Beautiful question. Then next question. Sir, may I make an effort to earn more money? This is a very important question nowadays and I am talking about the devotees. I am not talking about non-devotees. So everybody is terribly attached to money and this question will throw some light upon that question. What is it? Sir, may I make an effort to earn more money? I am forestalling Sri Ramakrishna's answers. First of all, he says that life is meant to think of God, to realize God. And therefore, one should not waste one's time, all the time in earning money. Then is there a guideline? Yes, if anybody by God's grace has sufficient money to live a reasonably comfortable life, then don't waste your time in earning money. But people not only want to earn money and people become terribly restless and they feel life is in vain if we do not try to earn. And they invent so many excuses. If I have some pocket money, I can donate to Ramakrishna Mission. I can help poor people and I can go on pilgrimages. I have heard people talking like that. No, your main duty is to have sufficient money. And sufficient is not sufficient if we are irrational. We have to say a reason has to be applied. How much is sufficient? So he says it is permissible to do so, to maintain a religious family. That is to say, every householder's duty, this is advice to householders, is to turn, if possible, the whole family into a religious family, if not a spiritual family. It is permissible to do so, to maintain a religious family. Because it is the duty of the householder to provide for the entire family. And how long also, Ramakrishna gives the answer. So he says, you may try to increase your income, but in an honest way. First thing is the Dharmic way. Don't do by hook or crook, only by truth. Work hard and if you are fated, it will come. And if you try to do it by hook or crook, then you may have money. You may have worldly goods, but enjoyment is a different issue. So what we have and what I experience can be poles apart. Only a Dharmic person, a person who earns Punyam, he can only enjoy. Otherwise, so the same food is eaten. There I have seen so many rich people who are terribly sick. They can't even digest what is called even boiled hot water. What is the good of their having so much of these things? So Ramakrishna says, first of all, it is permissible if a person doesn't have enough money. Second, he must fix how much money is needed rationally. Otherwise, there is no end to greed. Will one million pounds or dollars, will it do? There is no end to it. Who knows what is called inflation may go up and then I may suffer. There is no end to this. Rationally, reasonably, how much money can help me, that is first. And if once we have that one, then we should never be able to do anything else. So he says, you may try to increase your income, but it must be earned in a Dharmic way. Otherwise, unhappiness is bound to come. So he says, the goal of life is not the earning of money, but the service of God. And then Ramakrishna says, money is not harmful if it is devoted in the service of God. So the goal of life, let us never forget, each soul is potentially divine. And that is what Ramakrishna is telling, the service of God. That is, through the service of God, the realization of God is the goal of life. So money is used and many, many Bhaktas, they use them. Only in this way, real Bhaktas always use, if money is devoted to the service of God, it is not harmful. If it is not, it is very harmful. There is an, this is the answer. And then another question comes, how long should a man feel obliged to do his duty towards his wife and children? Very, very interesting question, because we take it for granted, that if I am married, then the whole life, I have to look after my wife, which of course, I have to do, and especially children. And Sairam Krishna also gives beautiful examples, and rarely any of our devotees put them into practice. Everybody is worried, my money, my house, my property, my bank balance, everything must go only to my children, even if they are earning a lot of money. So Sairam Krishna says, as long as they feel pinched for food and clothing, so he has got duties also, but duty towards the wife. If she is a good wife, then he should make provisions, not only for the present, but for the future also. Sairam Krishna was insistent upon it, and he himself practiced it in his own life. So peculiarly, he asked once Holy Mother, how many chapatis do you eat at night? And then she was shy, how can anybody answer? Every day I require 4 to 6 to 8 to 12 chapatis. Then once Swami Yogananda decided to serve Sairam Krishna, and Sairam Krishna asked him, at night, how much food do you eat, how many chapatis? Because in North India, usually chapatis are preferred, rather than South Indians prefer only rice and rasam, etc. Then Yogananda said, not much, I think around 2 or 3 sairs, that means 1 or 2 kilograms of what is called wheat dough. Sairam Krishna was startled, My God, so much, you better eat at home, I will not be able to provide so much for you. And so he tried to control, not only because, not that he cannot afford, but more, if you eat so much at night, how are you going to make progress in spiritual life? That is very important. So Sairam Krishna is answering this question, What is my duty towards my family? And then crystal clearly, not only here, elsewhere also, he gives the hints for a good wife, her whole life, because even if you die, you should think about her future. Of course, if she dies, there is no problem. If she is alive and you are not alive, you should think about her future, save for the future. And Sairam Krishna asked Holy Mother, and then he calculated and said, So if I have got 6 or 7 rupees every month, that will carry her. And he saved money as much as he could, and out of that he got some ornaments also made for Holy Mother, but he said, I am leaving some money. But Holy Mother had to suffer terribly for nearly one and a half years after Sairam Krishna's passing away, then Gauri Ma went there and then found out the horrible truth, they were made to work every day like coolies, husking other people's paddy, and as a result, they will be paid in some paddy, 2-3 kgs of paddy, etc., for that back-breaking work a whole day, and then they have to again husk coming home, and then only cook their food and eat, etc. And then Gauri Ma came back and scolded, What are you doing? You say, Guru Maharaj, Guru Maharaj, Thakur, Thakur, and here Mother is suffering so much. And they became aware for the first time, and immediately thereafter, until she passed away, they have taken charge, life became a little bit more comfortable for Holy Mother. But the point is, Sairam Krishna was thinking, so much money I will leave behind, and that will take care of Holy Mother. But here He is giving beautiful directions. So long as they feel pinched for food and clothing, then you need not think about it. But one need not take the responsibility of a son, that means children, when he is able to support himself. Supposing there are children, male children, and they are able to obtain some job, and they are earning, and if their earning is sufficient, then however much money a householder has, he should not think about it. That means there is no duty, there is no obligation. So he must see how can I serve God with the existing property and money that I have. Sairam Krishna gives a beautiful quotation. He says, when the young fledgling, that means a young bird, learns to pick its own food on its own, its mother pecks it if it comes to her for food. So this is a beautiful example, in fact many examples are given concerning these birds. So the birds, every day they go and pick up, they are quite happy. So a person must be a Fakir. There is a saying, a beautiful saying, where water is always running, and then where the bird always makes the M1, as soon as it grows up and is capable of picking up its own food, it will not allow it to live there. So any Fakir who observes these two, who doesn't accumulate and goes on moving from place to place, roaming, he will be able to keep his purity. So this is a beautiful example. Of course, none of us, I have not seen a single devotee who is following Sairam Krishna in this respect. We always keep, it is my duty that whatever we earn, that must go to our children only. So the next question that comes, what is the essence we discussed? Yes, it is permissible to earn food, but it is only so long as we have not enough money, and then that money also has to be earned honestly, dharmically, through the right means. Then it must be used, a reasonable amount must be kept for future because householders will not be fed or looked after by other people, that is right. But if there is excess money, then that should be used in the service of God. Does God require my service, your service? No. Then what does it mean? It means serve His children so we can help the poor. That is why Swamiji had made practical Vedanta, the Ridra Narayana, Rogi Narayana, Murkha Narayana, that means illiterate person. So everybody is only Bhagawan moving in this world. That is the truth actually. Then the next question that comes is, what is my duty towards my family? So, so long as you provide them plain food, then especially towards the wife, all life there must be some provision. But if the children are able to look after themselves, especially male children, you see in the olden days, the girls used to be married off, but there also a lot of problems were encountered. So in the olden days, so the males would be of much what is called aged people. The young girls will be very young actually. Many times Hindus marry off their girls even when they are five years old, etc. Later on some reforms had come. Whatever it is, if the wife is good, whole lifelong provision should be made, but not for luxury, but for simple plain food. But if it is male children, and as soon as it is our duty to educate them properly and to see that they stand on their own feet, and once they stand, we have no duty to support them. That's very important. So one doesn't have to do one's duty. Then the next question is, how long must you go on working? Duty. Of course, work will never, Karma will never come to an end, but there are physical Karmas. There is what is called Vachika Karmas, and there is Manasika Karmas. So when we become old, we have to reduce our what is called Kaika Karmas, external activities, but we can chant God's name, we can talk about good things to our family or those who are interested, that as long as possible. But a time may come, we may not be able even to speak. Then sit happily and think about God. So how long must one do one's duty? That means, is there any end? Is there any guideline? And Sri Ramakrishna is a beautiful example. It is not in our hands to give up duties. It is not in our hands. Then what happens? Sri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful example. The blossom drops off when the fruit appears. So first the tree or the plant gives the spring forth into blossom. Blossom is the forerunner of the fruits or vegetables that come later on. So for that purpose, as soon as it becomes a fruit, a blossom automatically falls off. That means we should not give up duties. Duties will give us up when their purpose is completely over. So an elementary school or a high school student, when he passes a particular class, all the textbooks relevant for that particular class will be dropped off. So he has to buy some upper class, appropriate books for the higher class. So that is the example. Never give up karmas. But when we have achieved a particular state, all the karmas that are relevant to that particular state, automatically they drop off. What a beautiful thing! This solves the problem. So then Sri Ramakrishna continues. One doesn't have to do one's duty after the attainment of God, nor does one feel like doing it then. Sri Ramakrishna is not saying that you have a choice. But after the realization of God, one doesn't have to do one's duty. What does it mean? After the realization of God, there is no kartrutva, bhoktrutva, bhava. I am the doer, I am the enjoyer. Both will fall off with the realization of God. Then if still the body-minds are functioning, such a person is called a jivanmukta. And a jivanmukta doesn't say, I will keep the ego of knowledge, I will keep the ego of devotion. No, he will not think in those terms. Because he is no longer there. Individual is no longer there. But what is there? God alone will take his own place, and for the good of the many. So he says one doesn't have to do one's duty, don't even think about it after the attainment of God, nor does one feel like doing it then. But then if he is a jivanmukta, then God himself will do what is necessary through that instrumentality. But our problem is, we think the old man is still there, he entered into samadhi, and again he came back, he is the same old person, same individual. Once a drop of water gets mixed up in the ocean, there is no drop of water. And if there is a drop of water after that, that is only a drop of the ocean, not the drop of the water that was earlier. Sri Ramakrishna, for every teaching, he gives a beautiful analogy, example, simile. Says if a drunkard takes too much liquor, he cannot retain consciousness. If he takes only two or three glasses, he can go on with his work. That means if a person has only a limited amount of ananda in taking God's name, still he has not realized God, so he has certain duties. And then Sri Ramakrishna in another instance, he elaborates this one. Supposing there is a young girl, and she is married, and she becomes pregnant. And as her pregnancy grows, the mother-in-law slowly tries to reduce appropriately, lest the fetus may be harmed by excess work. What a beautiful example! And when the girl becomes a mother, then her duty is only to look after that baby. That means so long as a person hasn't realized God, has not obtained the knowledge of Brahman, so long as we are progressing, progressively the duties will drop off by themselves. As discussed earlier, it's not that we have to think what to give up. Automatically, they fall by the roadside. Sri Ramakrishna also used to give the example, when a palm tree grows up, as it grows, then some of the leaves, they become dry and fall off. And when there is an injury on the body, there will be a scab formed. And nobody should forcibly remove that scab. One has to slowly wait patiently, until the skin becomes recoverable. And then immediately, the scab itself, as soon as the skin is healed, it will fall off by itself. Nobody needs to do anything. This is what he means, that if a drunkard takes too much liquor, that means he is merged in Samadhi, then he cannot retain consciousness, means outer consciousness. But he is there in that state of great happiness. And then he says, as you advance nearer and nearer to God, he will reduce your activities little by little. Instead of mother-in-law says, and that daughter-in-law, you are the daughter-in-law. And you are nourishing the baby, called devotion to God. And as your devotion grows, you will reduce your activities. And then Shri Ramakrishna gives Abhayamudra, have no fear, finish the few duties you have at heart, and then you will have peace of mind. And then he gives another example, when the mistress of the house goes to bathe, when after finishing her cooking and other household duties, she goes for bathing because she wants to enjoy, then she won't come back. However, you may shout after her. So in those days, I don't know nowadays, in villages, some villages may be, they don't have attached bathrooms, there are ponds nearby, or one may have a pond even in one's own backyard. So if there is a common pond, the ladies after finishing their duties, so they take some fresh saris, etc., they go and leisurely, they go on taking bath and enjoying, talking with other women who gather at that time. So this is being compared, when a person has done his main duty, which is progress in spiritual life, then there is nothing for that person to think about it too much. That is what he means. So she will not come back means, you will not be able to do anything. Then another question and very important, crucial question, Sir, what is the meaning of the realization of God? What do you mean by God vision? And how does one attain it? So you are always talking about God realization, Ishwara love is the only duty or only goal of every one of us. So what do you mean by God realization? What do you mean by God vision? Any person may claim, I had a vision of God. What does it mean? And what is the way to attain it? And then Sri Ramakrishna replied, these are very, very important questions in our spiritual life, especially if we are householders. And even some of the activities done in spiritual institutions like Ramakrishna Mission, Gaudiya Mission, etc. If a person is completely absorbed without paying heed to Sri Ramakrishna's teachings, we will definitely go wrong. But if a person is busy in serving the Divine Lord, this is called pure Karma Yoga, then he need not do anything because he is meditating not at specific times, but at all times. Hence Sri Ramakrishna answers to this particular question of him. According to the Vaishnavas, the aspirants and the seers of God may be divided into different classes. So the beginners, those who are struggling to see God, the perfected ones, those who realized God, and the supremely perfect. So Sri Ramakrishna divides all the aspirants into two classes, those who are the beginners, those who are struggling to see God. These are the beginners and the perfected ones and the supremely perfect. And in Sri Ramakrishna's terminology, the perfected ones are called Gnanis and the supremely perfect is called Ignanis. And he himself explains, he who has just set foot on the path may be called a beginner. He who has for some time been practicing spiritual disciplines such as worship, japa, meditation and the chanting of God's name and glories is called a struggling soul. He is a perfected soul who has known from his inner experience that God exists. These are the three classes. So Sri Ramakrishna also explains, this is a beautiful analogy he gives according to the Gnana Marga. What is Gnana Marga? So this is not perfect. This is not full. This is not full. This is not God. This is not God. Na iti na iti neti neti. So an analogy is given in Vedanta. And Sri Ramakrishna, I don't know, he created his own example or he might have heard from somebody. But let us recollect. Sri Ramakrishna divides people into four categories. So the beginners and the struggling ones and the perfected ones and the supremely perfected ones. At the beginning of this Gospel, we have seen that Ramakrishna gives an example. A fisherman goes and throws his net into a lake or a big pond and there are a few fishes which are never caught. And there are a few fishes which are caught but immediately they understand the danger and jump out of it. And there are some fish which understand it a bit later and go on struggling but may not succeed. And there are some who go to the bottom of the net and then say we are completely safe here. We are not in any danger at all. So here also he says the beginner, the struggler, the perfected and the supremely perfected. For that he is giving first of all the Gnanamargas what we call example. A master of the house is asleep in a dark room. Someone is groping in the darkness. Elsewhere he says a servant has urgent need to contact him. So he enters into the room, big room, dark room. So he touches the couch and says no, it is not he. He touches the window and says no, it is not he. Touches the door and says no, it is not he. So then Ramakrishna says this is known in Vedanta as the process of Neti Neti, not this, not this. And at last his hand touches the master's body and he exclaims here it is, iti, iti. These are beautiful teachings and some more elaboration is needed which we will see in our next class. Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Padapadmetayo Saritvam Pranamami Mohur Mohur May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna